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Consultation is now underway on the future shape of Australia's agricultural export legislation framework, with the release of the exposure draft Export Control Bill 2017 and Regulation Impact Statement.

The consultation period closes on Tuesday 24 October 2017.

Consultation is now underway on the future shape of Australia's agricultural export legislation framework, with the release of the exposure draft Export Control Bill 2017 and Regulation Impact Statement.

The consultation period closes on Tuesday 24 October 2017.

What the Export Control Bill 2017 will do

The draft legislation will consolidate export-related requirements from 17 Acts (including the Export Control Act 1982 and the Australia Meat & Livestock Industry Act 1997), and more than 40 legislative instruments that currently make up the agricultural export legislation framework.

The Department claims that the new legislation will streamline export requirements, making them easier to understand and more responsive to changes in market access requirements. Its development is in line with one of the Department's International Trade Strategy goals, namely "reducing and removing international trade and production distortions".

The Department is currently seeking comments on the Regulation Impact Statement, which examines a number of options and possible benefits and regulatory impact associated with each option.

Information sessions have been planned for major capital cities:

Brisbane – 21 September 2017

Sydney – 9-10 October 2017

What industry needs to consider when making a comment

The consultation impact statement currently presents two legislative framework options:

Option one — maintain the current legislative framework, or

Option two — consolidate and improve the framework with streamlined and modernised legislation.

Specifically, the Department would like comments on:

views on the impact of the proposed changes;

identification of opportunities to further streamline agricultural export legislation;

the accuracy of the assumptions which underpin the regulatory burden estimates; and

the potential regulatory burden savings that may arise from the proposed legislation.

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